Why Sleep and Web Get Saving Throws When I DM...

...because you better damn well believe that I run adversary NPC Magic-Users like a goddamn shark. And if they had access to an "I Win" button they would use it.

Magic goes both ways, but even I'm not that cold-blooded.

Besides, my players love throwing sleep spells at opponents with too high a HD for sleep to affect or that otherwise are immune; why not preserve the confusion by giving the monsters a saving throw?

Houserule - Latecomers Shall Be Splintered

Once per session a player may, upon their character taking damage from any source or failing a saving throw, choose to transfer the damage or effect of the failed saving throw to the character of the player who was the last to show up for the session, was unreasonably late, and thereby held up the scheduled start of the game; exceptions may be made for players who responsibly inform the group that they will be late due to reasonable reasons such a work or school (but not hangovers and the like) at the DM's discretion.

Example:

Bob's Fighting-Man falls into a 30' foot deep pit; the DM informs Bob that his character takes 15 points of damage.

Bob chooses to take adavantage of "Latecomers Shall Be Splintered" and transfers the damage to Harry's Magic-User as Harry showed up an hour-and-a-half later than the other players due to being at the beach.

The DM states "As Bob's fighting man tumbles into the pit he flails his arms around trying to grab a handhold and instead grabs the robe of Harry's Magic-User pulling into the pit as well. As the two tumble down the shaft somehow Harry's Magic-User ends up beneath Bob's Fighting-Man and his body cushions the imapact upon the Fighting-Man ameliorating the damage. Also Harry's Magic-User is now dead."

See also "When You Arrive" Houserule

Stick Around! - AD&D Action Movie Hack

I was thinking about getting into Mercenaries, Spies & Private Eyes; Ninjas & Superspies; Phoenix Command; d20 Modern; Spycraft; Feng Shui, or some other game or hack to do Badass 80s Action Movie Gaming! But, it might be easier to do it with D&D?

Ability Scores: 4d6, best three dice, six times, arrange to suit. Or even the most obscenely generous ability score generation system...these guys are Action Heroes! % Strength is in effect. Use the most generous ability score modifiers out of AD&D, B/XD&D & even 3E!

Character Classes: All PCs are Action Heroes. Some NPCs are Action Heroes, most are 0-level humans, as well as Fighters, Thieves, Assassins, Ninjas/Martial Artists (monks), Doctors (clerics). But all PCs are Action Heroes.

Action Heroes function as Fighters. They can use the Gun Them Down! houserule. They can use Unearthed Arcana weapon specialization...even (especially!) on guns. They also have the same abilities of a Thief of the same level...including Read languages. They also have the unarmed attack and armor class of a monk of the same level, as well as the movement rate of a monk of the same level. All PCs star at some not-low level at the beginning of the campaign...these guys are Action Heroes!

Use Jeff Rients houserule that a natural 20 on an  attack by a PC is an auto-kill.

Maybe even use 3rd edition tactical combat rules to emulate a precise bullet ballet...these guys are Action Heroes!

"Left For Dead" PCs can be resurrected by a high enough level Doctor, as per Clerical magic, but with a window of opportunity of hours instead of days.

Find some d20 Modern, Spycraft, or Palladium book for guns and gear.

Let the assault on the aerie of the Columbian Drug Lords who have taken the President captive commence.

OD&D/AD&D Fighter Houserule - Gun Them Down!

Gun Them Down Houserule
When playing a D&D variant, clone, or simulacrum, that has allowances for fighters making multiple attacks against multiple 1 HD and/or less opponents; and are playing in a campaign where guns are somewhat 'normal-ish'; and the fighter is using an automatic, semi-automatic, or bolt, lever, pump action or equivalent firearm or energy weapon; and the fighter is not currently engaged in melee; allow the fighter to use their multiple attacks against multiple 1 HD and/or less foes with missile attacks with the aforementioned gun, limited by the ammunition capacity of said gun.

I'd probably let a high level fighter with a good dexterity score use two pistols with this houserule.

Semi-Variable Weapon Damage Houserule

I've always been a variable weapon damage guy...when I first got my Otus Basic Box and I was perusing the rules, when I came to the part about how variable weapon damage is an optional rule, and that you can use 1d6 for all weapons I scoffed, "What a load of horseshit!'

Nowadays, I'm intrigued by the concept. I'm all for simplicity, encouraging flavourful weapon choices, and experimenting with the different systems throughout D&D's history. And, like many have said, a knife can kill you just as dead as a Dwarven Double Great Axe. It's not like D&D's variable weapon damages are based on any rigourous, true scientific realism or anything. Plus, non-variable weapon damage solves some firearm conundrums.

Now, the following is inspired by both the frequent house rule I see among OD&D types that all weapons inflict 1d6 damage, but for a two-handed weapon you roll twice and take the higher roll, and also the weapon notes in the awesome Terminal Space that suggest using a similar method for energy weapons and the like.

Blair's OD&D & B/X D&D Semi-Variable Weapon Damage Houserule
- Weapons inflict 1d6 damage on a hit.
- However, as many have been already doing, roll two dice for two handed weapons and use the higher roll. This may be applicable for heavy crossbows.
- But, when using a dagger/knife, club, sling stone or improvised weapon (chair, rock, broken bottle), roll two dice and take the lower of the two rolls.

And here's a similar system for use with the Carcosa variable damage dice rolls.
- Use the Carcosa dice type table to determine what kind of dice to use for weapon damage on a hit.
- However, when using a two-handed weapon, roll twice on the aforementioned table, and use the higher of the two results.
- And when using a dagger/knife, club, sling stone, or improvised weapon, roll twice, as above, but use the lower of the two rolls.

I'd probably use the above methods in conjunction with the OD&D Greyhawk Weapon Vs. AC Modifiers, just to be idiosyncratic (I love weapon vs. AC modifiers!).

I've been lax with the music lately...here's a great, classic track by a band that you all should be listening to instead of The Sword... ;)

Percentile Based Ability Score Skill System With Exponential Progression

Some of the recent blogosphere discussion of SPI's Universe sci-fi RPG, and it's use of squaring numbers in skill progressions reminded me of an idea I had for a % based ability score skill system a while back, a skill system that you could bolt onto oldchool D&D and variants, and the like, with minimum mechanical impact, bookkeeping, or fuss.

This skill system is pretty lightweight and loose, and is inspired somewhat by both how 3E skills can be classified by associated ability scores and also the use of Castle & Crusade's ability score based SIEGE mechanics as a skill system.

So the basic idea is that when a character attempts to "use a skill," or "attempt a skill-ful stunt," you determine the relevant ability score. Intelligence for deciphering archaic glyphs; wisdom for winning a meditation competition; dexterity for playing darts; charisma for getting in someone's pants.

The % chance of pulling it off, modified by whatever modifiers the DM thinks if fit, is determined by first calculating the square of the relevant ability score (multiplying it by itself; i.e. if the ability score is 10, you would multiply 10 by 10 to arrive at 100); and than dividing the resultant sum by four (in the previous example, one-quarter of 100 would result in 25, so someone with a strength of 10 would have a 25% chance of passing a push-up challenge in order to join a fraternity).

Now I'm basing the skill % logic along the lines of Runequest & Call of Cthulhu beginning character skill levels, aside for the abyssal low ability score %s and the generous high ability score %s. It's a system that allows for PCs to range from Elmer Fudd like levels of incompetence to movie Legeolas-esque near godhood at "skill checks" dependent upon their ability scores.

Myself, I could see using this method for complicated/hard skill uses, and use the roll under the ability score method for simpler, easier tasks such as climbing a tree or catching a football. This system is for performing calculus; landing crashing spaceships; tracking an alien hunter through a jungle; and catching a rope while plummeting kind of deal.

Now if you want to be a nice guy DM, you could add +1% to +5% to skill %s per level, dependent upon class and/or background relevance and the like. You could even incorporate roll-over skill advancement system of Runequest or 3rd Edition style skill points, but my intent was for the system to be bookkeeping free.

Here's the a table with the calculations already performed for you; I'm not going to be fancy like the Tao guy, etc., and make it look like something out of an AD&D manual.

Ability Score and Associated Skill %
3 - 2% (ha ha!)
4 - 4%
5 - 6%
6 - 9%
7 - 11%
8 - 16%
9 - 20%
10 - 25%
11 - 30%
12 - 36%
13 - 42%
14 - 49%
15 - 56%
16 - 64%
17 - 72%
18 - 81%

Aligned Magic Items Idea

Especially if you are using the Lawful/Neutral/Chaotic alignment system, but what if every magic item was aligned, the same way all magic swords in OD&D were aligne?. Even potions. Maybe when you used a potion,for the duration your alignment changed with appropriate behavior? Or you could just take damage, or have a varying duration dependent upon alignment differences. Most magic items, ring, axes, helmets, staves and so forth, would be aligned, and possibly intelligent with attendant ego scores, psychic powers, and so forth.

It strikes me a somewhat genre appropriate...the sorcerous gear of a blasphemous warlock corrupting those who dare use their foul magic; the holy relic inspiring the bearer; an enchanted wine-cup making the owner abandon their former 'good' or 'villainous' nature for hedonism. You could emulate that by having some, many or all aligned objects follow the AD&D procedures for 'personality conflicts' and ego score for swords; and that section of the Dungeon Masters Guide does seem to conflict with the previous rules for hit point damage accrued for holding a weapon of incompatible alignment.

Planet Algol Campaign Houserules

Suggested Planet Algol Campaign Houserules
Written for 1st Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons

Ability Scores - Roll 3d6 straight down the line

Races - Human (Earth Man or one of 26 varieties of Algol Man), Cactoid (which is also a class) or Mutant.

Classes - Assassin, Cactoid (which is also a race), Fighting-man (Fighter), Mind Wizard, Sage (a "mental powers" magic-user variant) new class, an attempt at a "swords & sorcery" cleric analogue), Sorcerer (Magic-user with a couple new abilities), and Thief.

Hit Points - Maximum at first level. Whenever a character levels they re-roll their total hit points, if this is higher than their previous hit point value it is used, if it is less than the previous hit point value, than the previous hit point value is used. Basically re-roll your hit points every level and keep it if it's higher than your old total.

Weapons - Any class can use any weapon, however I use weapon proficiency rules as well as strength and dexterity requirements for some weapons. I also use the weapon versus armor type modifiers.

Armor - Any class can wear any armor, however they will be able to use many of their class abilities while in armor, and require a strength score of at least 9 and a constitution score of 7 or greater in order to wear armor heavier than padded or leather. Shield use by characters who do not ordinarily have that ability requires the use a weapon proficiency, otherwise if will only provided protection against one opponent (none in the case of a buckler), large shields will not provide the +2 bonus against missiles, and any relevant saving throw bonuses from magic shields will not apply.

Sorcerers
- can use Carcosan Sorcery
- Can cast the Cleric Spell Speak With Dead
- They use their intelligence derived % to know spell to learn a new spell; if they fail they can try again with a new version, scroll, etc., when they reach the next level of experience

Multi Classing - If you have 13 or better in the prime requisites of both classes, you may multiclass between those two classes. No triple classing.

Dual Classing - If you have 15 or better in the prime requisites of both classes you may dual-class, although without the restrictions of not using your first classes ability until second class reaches the same level.

Initiative and Spell-casting (by the books AD&D only) - Spell casting begins on initiative segment, however if the caster is struck before they start casting it still is disrupted. 1 segment spells begins on the end of the casting segment and so forth. if casting extends into a second round than casting takes those two rounds.

First Aid - After a combat one can bind their wound and recover 1-4 hit points lost in the previous fight.

Weapon Ability Score Requirements

In an earlier post, I discussed my usage of ability score requirements for weapons in my Planet Algol AD&D game, here is a link to a document with the required scores for many common weapons:

WEAPON ABILITY SCORE REQUIREMENTS

Weapons

In my personal Algol campaign (houseruled 1st ed. AD&D), I've removed the weapon restrictions for the various classes, while using the weapon proficiency rules, the weapon vs.armor type modifiers and weapon speed factors.

As well, I've implemented strength and dexterity requirements for various weapons, cribbed from runequest. If you're not strong or dexterous enough for a weapon, the character is unable to gain proficiency with it, and are subject to the class specific nonproficiency penalty.

The reason for these choices are to make the choice of weapons for a character important, adding verisimilitude and for the "adventuring everyman" theme I'm exploring in this campaign.

Not every mercenary is muscular enough to fight well with a great sword or a longbow, and daggers become the weapon of the everyman.

Weapon vs. armor modifers are very interesting, many weapons are absolute monsters against unarmored or lightly armored foes while others are efficient at punching through plate.

It adds a level of tactical complexity to combat, you may have trouble hitting an agile, unarmored target with a heavy, high damage dealing weapon or you may be up the creek without a paddle when your fighting a heavily armored opponent without a weapon that can penetrate their protection. Crossbows are more accurate than bows, and better at punching through armor but bows users can fire two arrows per round.

The combination of limited weapon proficiencies, ability score requirements and armor modifiers (as well as the damage by target size) really differentiates the battle axe from the broad sword, the spear from the short sword,, etc. Your weapon choice matters!